of others,
which is a part of our weakness, could not belong to them. This
exaltation of self is not egotism; for such men, possessed by their
idea, give their lives freely, in order to seal their work; it is the
identification of self with the object it has embraced, carried to its
utmost limit. It is regarded as vain-glory by those who see in the new
teaching only the personal phantasy of the founder; but it is the
finger of God to those who see the result. The fool stands side by
side here with the inspired man, only the fool never succeeds. It has
not yet been given to insanity to influence seriously the progress of
humanity.

[Footnote 1: The discourses which the fourth Gospel attributes to
Jesus contain some germs of theology. But these discourses being in
absolute contradiction with those of the synoptical Gospels, which
represent, without any doubt, the primitive _Logia_, ought to count
simply as documents of apostolic history, and not as elements of the
life of Jesus.]

[Footnote 2: See Matt. ix. 9, and other analogous accounts.]

[Footnote 3: See, for example, John xxi. 15, and following.]

Doubtless, Jesus did not attain at first this high affirmation of
himself. But it is probable that, from the first, he regarded his
relationship with God as that of a son with his father. This was his
great act of originality; in this he had nothing in common with his
race.[1] Neither the Jew nor the Mussulman has understood this
delightful theology of love. The God of Jesus is not that tyrannical
master who kills us, damns us, or saves us, according to His pleasure.
The God of Jesus is our Father. We hear Him in listening to the gentle
inspiration which cries within us, "Abba, Father."[2] The God of Jesus
is not the partial despot who has chosen Israel for His people, and
specially protects them. He is the God of humanity. Jesus was not a
patriot, like the Maccabees; or a theocrat, like Judas the Gaulonite.
Boldly raising himself above the prejudices of his nation, he
established the universal fatherhood of God. The Gaulonite maintained
that we should die rather than give to another than God the name of
"Master;" Jesus left this name to any one who liked to take it, and
reserved for God a dearer name. Whilst he accorded to the powerful of
the earth, who were to him representatives of force, a respect full of
irony, he proclaimed the supreme consolation--the recourse to the
Father which each one has in heaven--and the